Hot water heater. No hot water

MiLoII

MiLoII

Active Member
Jul 14, 2017
138
Southern Lake Michigan
Boat Info
320 Sundancer 2005
Previously 300 Doral 1999
Engines
350 Mag MPI Inboard V Drives
Good day fellow Club Sea Ray members I'm looking for some guidance to troubleshoot my hot water heater I suddenly have no hot water. There were no signs of failure, i.e. water was always hot and then one day no hot water. I know you'll want to know what kind of heater I have but it's cold and dark tonight so not wanting to go into bilge and not sure there is a brand name readily visible I'll can say I have a 2005 vintage 320 Sundancer with what I presume is the original water heater. I have reviewed owners manual and all other user manuals I have and I have them for every conceivable component on my boat except the water heater. I see one mention in the electronic schematics but it doesn't really provide me with any usable information admittedly I'm not even a novice with wiring g schematics.

I only have a water breaker on the cabin AC panel. I can't find mention of any fuses in the aft or forward fuse panels or anywhere else. There are forward and aft accessory fuses and I'm wondering if one of those might be associated with the water heater in my mind my first course of action should be to determine if there is electricity to the water heater when I have the circuit breaker turned on and I'm looking for the best (read easiest and most efficient) way to check that. Any free advice is appreciated
 
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If the heater is original to the boat it is probably the element. If you can get to the front of the heater there is a cover. If you pull the cover off and disconnect the wires to the element use your multi meter set on ohms if you it is failed you will get no reading. If the heater is original to the boat you probably need to replace it before it leaks mine lasted 12 years before it leaked. If you replace it try to get the same model.
 
Usual suspects are the thermostat or the thermal cut-off. Both relatively inexpensive parts which should be kept on board as spares anyway IMO.
 
gerryb said:
Usual suspects are the thermostat or the thermal cut-off. Both relatively inexpensive parts which should be kept on board as spares anyway IMO.
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That said, with 13 years on it, you may have to face the buy-new vs attempt-to-repair question.
 
Does your cabin AC panel have an amp meter? If it does turn the water heater breaker off then on. If the the amp meter needle doesn't jump 10-12 amps then it is not drawing current. As said the most likely cause is the element or the thermal limit switch. At 13 years the water heater is getting old and if badly corroded or leaking it may need replacing.
 
hottoddie said:
Does your cabin AC panel have an amp meter? If it does turn the water heater breaker off then on. If the the amp meter needle doesn't jump 10-12 amps then it is not drawing current. As said the most likely cause is the element or the thermal limit switch. At 13 years the water heater is getting old and if badly corroded or leaking it may need replacing.
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Thank you. No amp meter just volts
 
northern said:
If the heater is original to the boat it is probably the element. If you can get to the front of the heater there is a cover. If you pull the cover off and disconnect the wires to the element use your multi meter set on ohms if you it is failed you will get no reading. If the heater is original to the boat you probably need to replace it before it leaks mine lasted 12 years before it leaked. If you replace it try to get the same model.
Click to expand...
Perfect thank you. Will attempt later this week
 
Make sure the AC breaker is off before you take cover off. Maybe disconnect the shore power to be safe.
 
northern said:
If the heater is original to the boat it is probably the element. If you can get to the front of the heater there is a cover. If you pull the cover off and disconnect the wires to the element use your multi meter set on ohms if you it is failed you will get no reading. If the heater is original to the boat you probably need to replace it before it leaks mine lasted 12 years before it leaked. If you replace it try to get the same model.
Click to expand...
It could be the hi-temp cut off which has a reset button on the back. Push to re-set. (one of the two thermostat buttons) Easy fix if that's it. If the element proves good, the thermostats can be found as a pair on Amazon. Did mine twice.
 
I purchased a new hot water tank and it would not stop heating. The supplier was willing to send a service teck out to fix it but not the part. I took the old thermostat off the old heater and it worked fine. I then ordered a new thermostat. It comes with two sensors one low temp to start element one high to turn off the element cost $11. I took the element out of the old tank. It did not look well but still worked.
 
Same thing happened to us on our 2007 320. any idea who the Mfr is?
(I could just go look).
 
Good day all. Finally able to diagnose and repair my issue. it was the two little thermostats for sure connections were pretty rusted out. Element tested good but replaced anyway since had everything apart. Nice hot water now
 
If its an original Atwood Id replace it. For ease I got an Isotemp. Atwood came out in 6 pieces. Isotemp went in in 1 piece. Still “plug and play” once you figure what adapters you need.
 

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2004 Searay Sundancer no hot water… no change in voltage at panel when turned on. Any hep on where to start?
 
Christopher Carter said:
2004 Searay Sundancer no hot water… no change in voltage at panel when turned on. Any hep on where to start?
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You can check the thermostat on the unit. When mine failed it burned up the wire going to the element resulting in no hot water.

Jaybeaux
 
That was the problem. Wire was burned/corrected. All fastened up and repaired in less than hour once I got new wire. Easy fix! Thanks for help!
 

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